BIRMINGHAM, Alabama -Sophia and Howard Faulk have served their last sub sandwiches, hamburgers, and gyros from their diner in the first floor corner of the Jefferson County Courthouse's parking deck.

Last week, the couple sold Sophia's Deli and Catering after 23 years in business at the corner of Richard Arrington Jr. Boulevard and Rev. Abraham Woods Jr. Boulevard. The diner is expected to re-open next week with the same name, but under new ownership.

During their time operating the diner, the Faulks have seen a variety of customers.

Jerry Garcia and the Grateful Dead and Bob Dylan ate there when they were in town for concerts, as did journalist and former White House Communications Director George Stephanopoulos, former Alabama Gov. Don Siegelman and former HealthSouth CEO Richard Scrushy, the Faulks said.

But while both the famous and sometimes infamous have dined at the deli, Sophia Faulk said she and her husband wanted to thank their regular customers for their patronage.

Employees from the Birmingham Museum of Art, Birmingham City Hall, the Birmingham Public Library, Energen, the Tutwiler and Sheraton hotels, and the Jefferson County courthouse, jail, sheriff's office, FBI, and criminal justice center, frequented the diner.

At times you could find judges, lawyers, prosecutors, jurors, and sometimes defendants, munching on a sandwich on a break.

"We never could have done it without all of those people," Sophia Faulk said. "We've met some very nice people."

The couple opened the diner on June 13, 1990.

Howad Faulk said he got the idea for a restaurant at the parking deck when he served on a jury. A cafeteria was operating in an upstairs space where the jury assembly room is today, and he didn't like the food, he said.

At the time, he was an insurance agent and his wife was helping her uncles run John's Restaurant, Howard Faulk said. His wife had owned and operated Tom's Coneys on Second Avenue North and 19th Street for about 14 years, and Howard Faulk thought the space at the parking deck would be a good location for a new hot dog stand.

The space - now 950 square-feet after a small expansion later on - was being used by the county for storage at that time. The couple put together a plan and got a lease from the county.

"I didn't think it would work out," Sophia Faulk said.

But the couple said the response to the restaurant was overwhelming and they expanded the menu over the years. Howard Faulk retired from the insurance business in 1994 and started working full time in the diner, which was open six days a week.

"It has been a real good business for me and her," he said.

Sophia Faulk is among three sisters and two brothers who moved with their parents from Greece in 1969.

All but one of her siblings, a sister, eventually went into the restaurant business in Birmingham. One of her brothers is George Sarris, who has operated The Fishmarket Restaurant and other restaurants around Birmingham.

"We believe everybody can make it in this country if they work hard," Sophia Faulk said.

The Faulks have been married 41 years and have two adult daughters.

The couple said they will retire, at least for a while, and travel. One of the first places they will visit is Greece.

"Howard and I have never been to Greece together," she said.

The couple, however, are leaving open the possibility of opening a new restaurant in the future.

Sophia Faulk said she will miss serving customers and hearing about their lives.

"A lot of our customers became part of our family," she said.

The Faulks sold their business last week to Ronny Summers, who owns "A ABC Bail Bonds" with his wife, Kandis Summers. He also formerly owned a Sneaky Pete's Hot Dogs in Gardendale.

"I've been wanting to buy this place for years," Summers said.

Summers said he had been talking to Howard Faulk off and on for about a decade about buying the diner, and finally one day the Faulks said they were ready to retire.

Summers said he hopes to have the diner re-opened sometime next week after some minor renovation work. He said the menu will change some.

But among the things that won't change is the name of the diner, and Sophia Faulk's brother, Nick Sarris, will continue to work behind the counter preparing food.